Tehran – Iran’s president on Wednesday rejected the latest offer from Europe to halt uranium enrichment in exchange for incentives, including a light-water reactor, likening the proposal to an adult’s deceptive enticement to a naive child.
“Your incentives are definitely not more valuable than nuclear technology,” President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during a speech in the central city of Arak. “How dare you tell our people to give up its gold in return for chocolate?”
In his speech, reported by the news agency ISNA, he also said: “I declare that our people do not need your assistance for development. If you have anything, keep it for yourself and just do not harm us.”
The European plan has not been finalized, but diplomats have said that it will offer to provide Iran with a light-water reactor, which could not easily be adapted to make weapons, in return for halting construction of its heavy-water reactor.
Iran rejected a similar package in August, saying it would not give up its indigenous technology.
A multinational meeting scheduled for Friday in London to discuss Iran’s nuclear program has been postponed.
The meeting, which is to include senior officials from the United States, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain, is expected to deal with what incentives to offer Iran and possible punitive measures if it refuses to suspend its enrichment program.
Agence France-Presse quoted a British Foreign Office spokesman as saying the meeting could be held within the next 10 days. The reason for the postponement was “to allow more detailed preparation on the proposal,” he was quoted as saying.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that Tehran could not say anything until it received the new proposal but added that Iran was willing to offer its own incentives in return for recognition of its right to enrich uranium at home.